Securing more direct bookings is a key goal for many accommodation property managers in order to raise revenue without costly commission fees. Encouraging guests to complete their booking through your website is easy with intelligent direct booking tools, specifically designed to capture guest demand.
The Why Book Direct Widget is a powerful add-on feature to Levart’s booking engine which appears when a visitor lands on your website. The price is dynamic, changing to reflect the dates entered into the booking panel and the live rate comparison with selected online travel agents pulls from their actual daily rates.
What are the main functions of the Widget?
The Why Book Direct Widget has two main functions:
1. To convert website visitors into direct bookings by highlighting the benefits of booking direct
2. To capture the contact information of guests and potential guests to utilise in marketing strategies
How does it work?
Being fully customisable, you can choose how you want the Widget to work and what you would like to offer guests who use it to make their booking. Choose to offer additional value such as (but certainly not limited to) room upgrades, extended checkout, discounted rates or exclusive extras.
Guests are required to input their email address into the Widget which automatically applies a promo code to the booking panel and enables the subsequent booking to be completed.
The email addresses are stored and accessible to the property, whether the guest completes the booking or not. This can be a great way to boost your marketing efforts with the ability to send targeted email campaigns to guests and potential guests who you know already have an interest in your property.
[Levart’s Why Book Direct Widget has] grown our direct online business anything from about 40% increase, its been very instrumental”
Steve Brewster- Sales & Marketing at Qube Broadbeach
Is this the only way guests can make a booking on my website?
No, Levart’s Why Book Direct Widget acts as an incentive to encourage guests to complete their booking on your website. Having the tool activated does not force guests to book through the Widget and bookings will still be accepted through your website’s booking panel for guests wishing to do so.
What do I need to be able to use the direct booking tool?
The only thing you will need to be able to use the direct booking tool is Levart’s booking engine, as the Widget is a powerful add-on feature to the booking engine.
The Widget uses promo code functionality to give access to the linked rates. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to offer promotional rates, but simply identifies when a booking has occurred through the Widget.
You will need to have bookable rates available on your website, which link to the Widget to allow a booking to be made for a particular room.
You can choose which rates are linked to and bookable through the Widget, but it is generally recommended to have all of your active, direct rates linked to ensure guests can easily complete their booking.
Will this tool work for my property?
The intelligent Widget is adaptable to suit your unique property. If you would like more information about the Why Book Direct Widget or to discuss how it can benefit your property, request a callback here!
